Learn to Love Again
by Anka7995
Summary: She lost her first love when she was fifteen, after that everything was in a daze. When she decides to take matters in her hands and leave the Wizarding World... It has some beautiful consequences. She might even learn to love again.


_Written for the Ulimate Het Love Competition, level Gryffindor. _

_Prompts used: __**chocolate, hallucinating and "There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment"**_

**Learn to Love Again**

**Summary: **_She lost her first love when she was fifteen, after that everything was in a daze. When she decides to take matters in her hands and leave the Wizarding World... It has some beautiful consequences. She might even learn to love again._

When she decided to go to the Muggle University she did not know what she was getting into. Michael was not happy with her decision. He did not like it at all. His initial reaction was to stare at her like she had completely lost it and then he started laughing like _he _had lost it.

"That was a _nice_ joke, Cho." He had proclaimed, "Really nice, but when you said you wanted to discuss something serious, I assumed it would be serious."

"I am serious." Cho said, balling her fists trying to control her temper, "I think I need a break from the Wizarding World, all the deaths and losses, this is tough for me to handle." She reasoned.

"But you just don't leave everything for it. You don't know anything about Muggle World and how will you even enter a University without previous Muggle education?" He asked.

"Ministry is giving a crash-course for it... And I know about the Muggle World I have been there and I took Muggle Studies, too. Besides, Hermione has agreed to help me." Cho said, she was not backing out. First C-Cedric, then her aunt and then her best friend... she had lost enough people to last a life time. She could not see the strongest and bravest people she knew as broken and vulnerable. Everyone was working towards their reconstruction and she needed to do that too. And according to her she would prefer doing it away from the Wizarding World, where she knew no one and no one knew her or anyone had magic to abuse it.

"So, Granger knows that means Potter knows. Obviously, I am the last to know." He said angrily, "Why does Potter know before I do?"

Cho could not help but roll her eyes, she and Harry had not even actually dated, it was one kiss, an awkward kiss because she was crying rivers and one date, where she acted like a total bitch. She was a bit taken aback as she reminded herself she acted the same way as Michael did, when she learnt Harry going to meet Hermione on Valentine's Day. In her defence, she those were not the best of her days and she was not herself.

"You really want to discuss that now?" Cho asked with her eyebrows raised.

Michael shook his head and exhaled slowly and said calmly, "Do whatever you want Cho, I wish you the best in life."

You know what the sad thing was? It didn't even hurt when he got up and left without a goodbye.

**xxXXxx**

Two years later, she has a quiet life as she works in a small cafe and studies in the University of Surrey.

She smiles as she reflects over her life for the past of couple of years. She had made really good friends and realized how great Muggles are. She was not totally over the war and deaths but now instead of the stabbing pain, it was just a dull ache. She could say Cedric's name without bursting into tears. And she decidedly held onto the happy memories. She sat in her seat eating a bar of chocolate. She had slept in and had missed breakfast. She blamed her friends Maria, Annabelle, Christina and Amy for it. They had gone overboard yesterday during their night out. She understood the need to party as both Maria and Annabelle had gone through break-ups that week. While, Cho was sure Maria would get back together with her boyfriend in no time. The converse was true with Annabelle. Her boyfriend was cheating on her and they did not part on friendly terms. So, Cho the studious and rule-abiding one among them had allowed them to go a bit overboard.

And she was definitely regretting it now. As she had a terrible hangover and was sure she was hallucinating when she saw the guy she had been flirting with shamelessly yesterday (obviously in drunken stupor) come and sit in the seat beside her.

She groaned and the boy looked up at her.

"Fancy seeing you here." He said languidly in a thick British accent, not the usual accent but the ones Americans use in their movies.

"Cut out the accent..." She replied as she tried to force down the pink tinge of her cheeks. "I _heard _you speak last night."

The blonde boy chuckles, "I know. I just thought you would remember, you were more than tipsy last night." He explained.

She groaned again as blood rushed to her cheeks. He chuckled at her embarrassment.

"Sorry." She mutters after a moment's silence.

"No problem, I enjoyed it. It does not happen every day that pretty girls flirt with me."

Cho looked at him disbelievingly; he was good-looking to put it lightly. Blonde hair, blue eyes, angular face, yep he was the pretty boy image.

"I am Dudley Durseley." He says.

She smiles and shakes his extended hand, "Cho Chang." She replies.

**xxXXxx**

When Cedric died, her fifteen year old self had sworn she would never fall in love again. But then there had been Harry, who was so much like Cedric, but it was not love. After Michael, she reminded herself that Cedric was her first love and maybe the only one. After meeting Dudley... she had questioned her capability of falling in love. But then she realized, there is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment.

She fell in love with him with little things, like the way he chewed his pencil during a particularly difficult test, the way his eyes twinkled when he smiled and big things like him confessing he used to be a bully in school and used to bully his cousin and how he regretted everything when the said cousin saved his life. How he wished to make amends with his cousin, whose life he and his parents had made hell. She wanted to be disgusted with him but could not bring herself to do it at the honesty and regret in his voice and thus, she fell in love with him. How vulnerable he was when he told him about his obesity during his early adolescence. She fell in love with him and she never planned on it.

He had to know about her magic. She had not left magic behind. She was in touch with Hermione Granger and Harry Potter. More with Hermione then Harry as Ginny did not like when Cho was with Harry. She will never leave her magic behind. So if Dudley was an important part of her life and Magic was an irrevocable part of her life. He deserved to know. So she waited for him in their usual diner, wearing his favourite dress waiting to confess.

He listened attentively as she explained him everything, from Cedric to Harry to Michael to war and to the loss. She was so lost in re-living her past that she did not see the change in him when she mentioned Harry. He didn't interrupt so she continued.

She ended her story, with tear tracks on her cheeks and looked up at him.

She was surprised when he smiled.

"I made a terrible mistake once, underestimating the beauty of magic and being prejudiced with the gift witches and wizards have." He said. She looked at him with surprise evident on her face. "Remember the cousin I told you about?" He asked in a way of explanation. She nodded, she could never forget, "My cousin was -is Harry Potter." He said and comprehension dawned on her face.

"Oh" she said, that was everything she could manage,

"I won't do it again, I won't push away someone special and someone I _love_ just because they have a gift I don't." He continued, "My mother regretted what she did to her sister till her last breath and I don't want to live her life. I love you and I won't let you go... Even if you announce tomorrow that you are an ogre."

Cho laughed at his attempt of humour and kissed him, "I love you, too." She said.

**xxXXxx**

He was grateful when she had set up a meeting between him and his cousin. Harry was surprised but happy for her. He had hugged his cousin with a, "Long time, no see, Big D." And she had left them alone with a smile on her face. She was happy she was glad she made that decision four years ago. Now, she was about to graduate and will join Dudley with his business of drills. She glanced at the engagement ring in her hand and smiled even wider. Dumbledore was right; love is more powerful than any magic.

**Word Count: 1460**

I am not sure about the ending of the story, I might even continue it later. I loved writing this one as it was so out of my league. Tell me what you feel about it.


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